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Hideo Kojima is known for crafting some of the biggest game projects in the video game medium. His past work includes underrated titles such as Zone of the Enders and Boktai, but he’s most known for directing/producing the Metal Gear Solid series.

Metal Gear Solid is getting its 5th iteration in the form of two games. The beginning portion of the game will introduce players to the mechanics that will make up the bulk of The Phantom Pain and also give them something to tide them over until the big hitter releases.

Here’s everything you need to know about the prologue to Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Ground Zeroes!

1. Big Boss is Taking the Lead Role

Longtime Metal Gear Solid protagonist (and antagonist in some cases) Big Boss will take the role as the main playable character in Ground Zeroes. Big Boss is sent on a search and rescue mission to an American black site that’s situated on Cuban soil. The camp, called Camp Omega, houses two important individuals that will play a big part in the overarching plot line of Metal Gear Solid V – Cipher agent Pacifica Ocean and Sandinista child soldier Ricardo “Chico” Valenciano Libre.

2. The Game Takes Place After Peace Walker

Ground Zeroes is set in 1975 and takes place after the events of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker (1974). Big Boss currently works as an agent for the military outfit named Militaires Sans Frontières. The two individuals he’s sent to rescue during his mission played a huge part in the events of Peace Walker. During Big Boss’ mission, the home base of MSF gets demolished by a shadowy organization that simply goes by the name of XOF. XOF is lead by a scarred man who goes by the title of Skull Face. These events and how they impact Big Boss physically and mentally will lead right into Metal Gear Solid: The Phantom Pain.

3. The Core Story Mission is Pretty Short, But There Will Be Extra Missions to Play

The majority of this game will take place on the one black site base that Big Boss is sent to conduct his mission on. Players have the option to utilize different sneaking and traversal methods, plus they have the choice to see the story unfold in several different way by choosing specific missions. A Game Informer cover story noted that the main story mission can be completed in two hours. However, the game’s replay factor won’t be an issue thanks to the addition of four side-ops and a console exclusive extra ops.

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4. Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain Were Supposed to Be Released Together

Hideo Kojima and his development team members originally considered releasing Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain. However, the long development time that went into The Phantom Pain made a change to that previous decision and resulted in Ground Zeroes being split off into its own release. Kojima is a huge movie nut, which explains why he considered Ground Zeroes as a pre-title sequence in a Hollywood film.

5. UK Pre-Orders Are Getting a Cool Bonus With The Game

The prices for each version Ground Zeroes (PS3, PS4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One) comes in at $29.99. Gamers in the UK who pre-order the game will get a nice bonus game to play before, during or after the completion of Ground Zeroes – a digital download of Peace Walker HD Edition through the EU PlayStation Store.